Electrooptic device and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electrooptic-device substrate includes a first IC-mounting area on which a first IC is mounted following a substrate edge of the electrooptic-device substrate, at least one second IC-mounting area on which a second IC is mounted, and a substrate-connection area to which a flexible substrate is connected, wherein the substrate-connection area is provided so as to be nearer the substrate edge than the first and second IC-mounting areas, and the electrooptic-device substrate includes a first wiring pattern extending from the first IC-mounting area to the substrate-connection area and a second wiring pattern that extending from the second IC-mounting area, between first pads formed in the first IC-mounting area and reaching the substrate-connection area.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2003-331672 filed Sep. 24, 2003, which is hereby expressly incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrooptic device having an ICthat is COG (chip on glass)-mounted on a substrate and an electronicapparatus including this electrooptic device.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown in FIG. 6, for example, in electrooptic devices including anactive-matrix liquid-crystal device, an organic electroluminescencedisplay device, and so forth, a first IC mounting area 40 and secondIC-mounting areas 50 and 60 are provided following a substrate edge 11of an electrooptic-device substrate. A first IC 4 and second ICs 5 and 6are mounted on the above-described IC-mounting areas 40, 50, and 60,respectively. Here, many wiring patterns extend linearly toward thesubstrate edge 11 from pads formed on the first IC-mounting area 40 andthe second IC-mounting areas 50 and 60. The ends of the above-describedwiring patterns form many substrate-connection ends on asubstrate-connection area 70 on which a flexible substrate 7 is mounted.Here, a width W7 of the flexible substrate 7 extending in the directionfollowing the substrate edge 11 is substantially the same as width W56of a predetermined area extending in the direction following thesubstrate edge 11, where the predetermined area includes the firstIC-mounting area 40 and the second IC-mounting areas 50 and 60. In anexample shown in FIG. 6, the width W7 is substantially the same as thewidth of the electrooptic-device substrate.

However, when an electronic device is configured as a mobile phoneincluding the electrooptic device shown in FIG. 6, the flexiblesubstrate 7 may become an obstacle for providing a connector 81, aspeaker 82, and so forth, near the substrate edge 11.

Therefore, there have been demands for decreasing the width W7 of theflexible substrate 7 (the substrate connection area). A technique formeeting the above-described demands has been proposed, wherein the padson which the second ICs 5 and 6 are mounted and the pad on which thefirst IC 4 is mounted are connected to one another through the wiringpatterns. Subsequently, part of the substrate-connection ends formed onthe substrate-connection area is used in common, whereby the number ofthe substrate-connection ends decreases.

However, according to the above-described technique, the first IC 4 andthe second ICs 5 and 6 share the use of the substrate-connection ends.Therefore, this technique cannot be used when the power-supply voltageof the first IC 4 and those of the second ICs 5 and 6 are different withone another, which imposes restrictions on IC design.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide anelectrooptic device including a flexible substrate connected to asubstrate edge, where the width of the flexible substrate can bereduced, even though multiple ICs are COG-mounted following thesubstrate edge, and an electronic apparatus including this electroopticdevice.

SUMMARY

For solving the above-described problem, an electrooptic deviceaccording to the present invention comprises:

an electrooptic-device substrate including:

-   -   a substrate edge;    -   a first IC-mounting area and a second IC-mounting area aligned        along the substrate edge, the first IC-mounting area being for        mounting a first IC, the second IC-mounting area being for        mounting a second IC; and    -   a substrate-connection area to which a flexible substrate is to        be connected, the substrate-connection area being nearer the        substrate edge than the first and second IC-mounting areas;

a first wiring pattern extending from the first IC-mounting area to thesubstrate-connection area; and

a second wiring pattern that extends from the second IC-mounting area,goes between first pads formed in the first IC-mounting area, andreaches the substrate-connection area.

In the present invention, the first wiring pattern extends substantiallylinearly from the first IC-mounting area toward the substrate-connectionarea and the second wiring pattern extends substantially linearly frombetween the first pads toward the substrate-connection area, forexample.

In the present invention, it is preferable that an area in which thefirst wiring pattern is formed and an area in which the second wiringpattern is formed are adjacent to each other in a direction followingthe substrate edge of the electrooptic-device substrate. According tothis configuration, a substrate-connection end used for applying asignal, a power-supply potential, and a ground potential from theflexible substrate to the first IC, and a substrate-connection end usedfor applying a signal, a power-supply potential, and a ground potentialfrom the flexible substrate to the second IC can be integratedeffectively. Subsequently, the width of the substrate-connection areaextending in the direction following the substrate edge can bedecreased.

According to the present invention, the second IC-mounting area can beprovided in only one of the areas on both sides of the first IC-mountingarea. Otherwise, the second IC-mounting area can be provided in eacharea on both sides of the first IC-mounting area. In this case, thefirst IC-mounting area is formed in a substantially center area of theelectrooptic-device substrate, where the center area extends in thedirection following the substrate edge, and the second IC-mounting areais formed on each of the areas on both sides of the first IC-mountingarea extending in the direction following the substrate edge of theelectrooptic-device substrate, for example.

In the present invention, it is preferable that a width of thesubstrate-connection area extending in the direction following thesubstrate edge is smaller than a width of a predetermined area includingthe first IC-mounting area and the second IC-mounting area, where thepredetermined area extends in the direction following the substrateedge.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the width of thesubstrate-connection area extending in the direction following thesubstrate edge is equal to, or smaller than a width of the firstIC-mounting area extending in the direction following the substrateedge.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the second wiringpattern is provided so that a single second wiring pattern goes througha gap between the first pads. According to this configuration, the gapbetween the first pads does not increase locally. Therefore, thestability for mounting the first IC does not decrease.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the second wiringpattern goes between dummy pads of the first pads and extends to thesubstrate-connection area, where a signal, a power-supply potential, anda ground potential are not applied from the flexible substrate to thedummy pads. According to this configuration, shorting of the dummy padsand the second wiring pattern presents no problem.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the first pads include apad connected to a second pad formed in the second IC-mounting area by athird wiring pattern. It is also preferable that the pad is provided onan end of the first IC-mounting area, where the end is formed at apredetermined position near the second IC-mounting area, and the signal,the power-supply potential, and the ground potential are not directlyapplied from the flexible substrate to the pad. According to thisconfiguration, the third wiring pattern can be easily arranged. Theabove-described bump does not require the substrate-connection end.Therefore, where the pad is provided, so as to be near the end, itbecomes possible to decrease an area in which the substrate-connectionend is formed by as much as an area corresponding to the pad.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the first pads include apad to which a bump for testing the first IC is connected, and the padis provided in the first IC-mounting area at a predetermined positionthat is nearer an end than a predetermined area, where the first padsare formed in the predetermined area and where the second wiring patternextends therebetween. The pad to which the testing bump is connecteddoes not require the substrate-connection end. Therefore, where the padis provided, so as to be near the end, it becomes possible to decreasethe area in which the substrate-connection end is formed by as much asan area corresponding to the pad.

The electrooptic-device substrate according to the present invention canbe used for a liquid-crystal device. In this case, theelectrooptic-device substrate holds a liquid crystal between theelectrooptic-device substrate and another substrate opposing thereto, asthe electrooptic material.

The electrooptic-device substrate according to the present invention canbe used for an electroluminescence display device. In this case, theelectrooptic-device substrate holds an organic electroluminescencematerial forming an electroluminescence element.

The electrooptic device according to the present invention may be usedfor an electronic apparatus including a mobile phone, a mobile computer,and so forth.

In the present invention, the first IC-mounting area and the secondIC-mounting area are formed following the same substrate edge of theelectrooptic-device substrate, and a flexible substrate is connected tothe substrate-edge side rather than the IC-mounting-area side. Further,a first wiring pattern extends from the first IC-mounting area toward asubstrate-connection area, and a second wiring pattern extending fromthe second IC-mounting area toward the substrate-connection area isprovided, so as to extend between first pads formed on the firstIC-mounting area. Therefore, a substrate-connection end for applying asignal, a power-supply potential, and a ground potential from theflexible substrate to the first IC, and a substrate-connection end forapplying a signal, a power-supply potential, and a ground potential fromthe flexible substrate to the second IC can be provided in a convergingmanner. Therefore, it becomes possible to decrease the width of thesubstrate-connection area extending in the direction following thesubstrate edge. Subsequently, the width of the flexible substrateextending in the direction following the substrate edge can bedecreased, so as to be substantially smaller than that of theelectrooptic-device substrate. Therefore, where the electronic apparatusis configured as a mobile phone or the like by using the electroopticdevice, a connector, a speaker, and so forth, can be easily providednear the substrate edge. Further, according to the present invention,the first IC and the second IC do not share the use of thesubstrate-connection ends. Therefore, the present invention can be usedwhen the power-supply voltage of the first IC and that of the second ICare different from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configurationof an electrooptic device including an active-matrix liquid-crystal unitusing a non-linear element, as a pixel switching element.

FIG. 2(A) is a schematic perspective view of the electrooptic deviceaccording to the present invention viewed from the element-substrateside and FIG. 2(B) is a schematic perspective view thereof viewed fromthe opposing-substrate side.

FIG. 3(A) is an enlarged plan view from the center area to the left areaof an IC-mounting area of the element substrate used for theelectrooptic device according to the present invention and FIG. 3(B) isan enlarged plan view from the center area to the right area of theIC-mounting area.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of anelectrooptic device comprising an active-matrix liquid-crystal unitusing a thin-film transistor (TFT), as a pixel switching element.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an active-matrix electrooptic unitincluding an electroluminescence element using anelectrical-charge-injection organic thin film, as an electroopticsubstance.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a known electrooptic deviceviewed from the opposing-substrate side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described withreference to the attached drawings. The basic configuration of anelectrooptic device according to the following embodiments is the sameas in the case of FIG. 6. Therefore, parts having the same functionswill be designated by the same reference characters and numerals.

Configuration of the Electrooptic Device

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration ofthe electrooptic device. FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are a schematic perspectiveview of the electrooptic device according to the present inventionviewed from the element-substrate side and the schematic perspectiveview thereof viewed from the opposing-substrate side.

An electrooptic device la shown in FIG. 1 is an active-matrixliquid-crystal device using a TFD (thin film diode), as a pixelswitching element. In this device, a plurality of scan lines 51 a isprovided in the row direction and a plurality of data lines 52 a isformed in the column direction. A pixel 53 a is provided at the positioncorresponding to each intersection of the scan lines 51 a and the datalines 52 a. In this pixel 53 a, a liquid-crystal layer 54 a and a TFDelement 56 a (non-linear element) for pixel switching are connected inseries. Each of the scan lines 51 a is driven by a scan-line drivercircuit 57 a and each of the data lines 52 a is driven by a data-linedriver circuit 58 a.

For forming the above-described electrooptic device 1 a, an elementsubstrate 10 (electrooptic-device substrate) and an opposing substrate20 are bonded together by using a sealing material 30, as shown in FIGS.2(A) and 2(B). Further, a liquid crystal functioning as an electroopticsubstance is sealed in an area surrounded by both the substrates and thesealing material 30. The sealing material 30 is formed as asubstantially rectangular frame provided following the edge of theopposing substrate 20. An opening is formed at a predetermined part ofthe sealing material 30 so that the liquid crystal can be sealedtherein. Therefore, the opening is sealed by a sealant 31 after theliquid crystal is sealed therein.

In practice, a polarization plate for polarizing incident light, aphase-difference plate for compensating for an interference color, andso forth, are placed over the outer surfaces of the element substrate 10and the opposing substrate 20, as required. Since this configuration hasno direct bearing on the present invention, it is not shown in thedrawings and the description thereof is omitted.

The element substrate 10 and the opposing substrate 20 are formed asplate-like members having a light-transmission property, such as glass,quartz, plastic, and so forth. The plurality of data lines 52 a, the TFDelement (not shown) for pixel switching, and the pixel electrode (notshown) are formed on an inner (the liquid-crystal side) surface of theelement substrate 10. Further, the plurality of scan lines 51 a isformed on an inner surface of the opposing substrate 20. The elementsubstrate 10 has an overhanging area 10 a which overhangs from an outercircumferential edge of the sealing material 30 toward one side. Thewiring patterns connected to the data lines 52 a and the scan lines 51 aextend toward the overhanging area 10 a.

In this embodiment, many conductive particles having conductivity arescattered in the above-described sealing material 30. These conductiveparticles include particles made of metal-plated plastic and particlesmade of a resin having conductivity, for example, and make the wiringpatterns formed on the element substrate 10 and the opposing substrate20 conduct to one another and function as a spacer for keeping a gap(cell gap) between the substrates constant. Therefore, according to thisembodiment, the first IC 4 for outputting an image signal to the dataline 52 a and the two second ICs 5 and 6 for outputting a scan signal tothe scan line 51 a are COG-mounted on the overhanging area 10 a of theelement substrate 10. Further, the flexible substrate 7 is connected tothe overhanging area 10 a of the element substrate 10.

Configuration of the IC-Mounting Area

FIG. 3(A) is an enlarged plan view from the center area to the left areaof an IC-mounting area of the element substrate used for theelectrooptic device according to the present invention and FIG. 3(B) isan enlarged plan view from the center area to the right area of theIC-mounting area. The number of pads shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B) issmaller than that of pads used in practice. That is to say, the numberof the pads used in practice is larger than that shown in the drawings.

In this embodiment, a second IC-mounting area 50 on which the second IC5 including a scan-line driver circuit is COG-mounted, a firstIC-mounting area 40 on which the first IC 4 including a data-line drivercircuit is COG-mounted, and a second IC-mounting area 60 on which thesecond IC 6 including another scan-line driver circuit is COG-mountedare formed on the overhanging area 10 a of the element substrate 10following the substrate edge 11 in that order. The second IC-mountingareas 50 and 60 are provided on both sides of the first IC-mounting area40. Further, a substrate-connection area 70 to which the flexiblesubstrate 7 is connected is formed on the overhanging area 10 a of theelement substrate 10, so as to extend following the substrate edge 11.That is to say, the substrate-connection area 70 is closer to thesubstrate edge 11 than the IC-mounting areas 40, 50, and 60.

Many first pads to which a bump of the first IC 4 is connected by usingan ACF (anisotropic conductive film) or the like are provided in tworows on the first IC-mounting area 40, so as to extend parallel to thesubstrate edge 11. Here, the value of a driving voltage of the first IC4 is five volts, for example.

Of these first pads, an output pad 41 formed by the end of the wiringpattern extending from the data line 52 a is provided on the elementsubstrate 10 at a position distant from the substrate edge 11. Further,many input pads 42 are provided in rows in the center area extending inthe direction following the substrate edge 11 of the first IC-mountingarea 40 at a position near the substrate 11, and a plurality of dummypads 43 is provided on both sides of the input pads 42. Further,testing-bump-mounting pads 44 to which testing bumps for testing thefirst IC 4 are connected are provided on both sides of the dummy pads43. Output pads 45 are provided in rows parallel to the substrate edge11 at positions adjacent to the outside of the above-describedtesting-bump-mounting pads 44, where the output pads are used forapplying a signal, a power-supply potential, and a ground potential tothe second IC 5.

The signal, the power-supply potential, and the ground potential areapplied from the flexible substrate 7 to the input pads 42 of theabove-described first pads. Therefore, each of the input pads 42functions as one end of the first wiring pattern 31 that extendslinearly from the first IC-mounting area 40 toward the substrate 11 andthat reaches the substrate-connection area 70. The other end of thefirst wiring pattern 31 forms a substrate-connection terminal 71 on thesubstrate-connection area 70, where the flexible substrate 7 isconnected to the substrate-connection terminal 71. However, since thesignal, the power-supply potential, and the ground potential are notdirectly applied to the output pads 41, the dummy pads 43, the testingbumps 44, and the output pads 45, the first wiring pattern 31 extendingtoward the substrate-connection area 70 is not formed for theabove-described pads.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3(A), the many second pads to which the bumps ofthe second IC 5 are connected by the ACF or the like are provided in tworows on the second IC-mounting area 50, so as to extend parallel to thesubstrate edge 11. Here, the value of a driving voltage of the second IC5 is thirty volts, for example.

Of these second pads, an output pad 51 formed by the end of the wiringpattern connected to the scan line 51 a via the sealing material 30 isprovided on the element substrate 10 at a position distant from thesubstrate edge 11. Further, a plurality of input pads 52 is provided inrows in the second IC-mounting area 50 at a position near the substrateedge 11, where the signal, the power-supply potential, and the groundpotential are applied from the flexible substrate 7 to the input pads52. Further, input pads 53 are provided at a position adjacent to theinput pads 52, where the signal, the power-supply potential, and theground potential are applied from the output pads 45 of the first IC 4.

The signal, the power-supply potential, and the ground potential aredirectly applied from the flexible substrate 7 to the input pads 52 ofthe above-described second pads. Therefore, each of the input pads 52functions as one end of the second wiring pattern 32 extending from thesecond IC-mounting area 50 toward the substrate-connection area 70.Here, the second wiring pattern 32 extends from the second IC-mountingarea 50 toward the first IC-mounting area 40 parallel to the substrateedge 11, and bends at a right angle in the first IC-mounting area 40toward the substrate edge 11. Further, the second wiring pattern 32extends linearly between the dummy pads 43 in the first IC-mounting area40 and reaches the substrate-connection area 70, so that the other endthereof forms a substrate-connection end 72. Further, the input pads 53in the second IC-mounting area 50 and the output pads 45 in the firstIC-mounting area 40 are connected to one another via third wiringpatterns 35.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3(B), the many second pads to which the bumps ofthe second IC 6 are connected by the ACF or the like are provided in tworows in the other IC-mounting area, that is, the second IC-mounting area60, so as to extend parallel to the substrate edge 11. Here, the valueof a driving voltage of the second IC 6 is thirty volts, for example.

Of these second pads, each output pad 61 formed by the end of the wiringpattern connected to the scan line 51 a via the sealing material 30 isprovided on the element substrate 10 at a position distant from thesubstrate edge 11. Further, a plurality of input pads 62 is provided inrows in the second IC-mounting area 60 at a position near the substrateedge 11, where the signal, the power-supply potential, and the groundpotential are applied from the flexible substrate 7 to the input pads62. Further, input pads 63 are provided at a position adjacent to theinput pads 62, where the signal, the power-supply potential, and theground potential are directly applied from the output pads 45 of thefirst IC 4 to the input pads 63.

The signal, the power-supply potential, and the ground potential aredirectly applied from the flexible substrate 7 to the input pads 62 ofthe above-described second pads. Therefore, each of the input pads 62 isformed as one end of the second wiring pattern 33 extending from thesecond IC-mounting area 60 toward the substrate-connection area 70.Here, the second wiring pattern 33 extends from the second IC-mountingarea 60 toward the first IC-mounting area 40 parallel to the substrateedge 11, and bends at a right angle in the first IC-mounting area 40toward the substrate edge 11. Then, the second wiring pattern 33 extendslinearly between the dummy pads 43 in the first IC-mounting area 40 andreaches the substrate-connection area 70, so that the other end thereofforms the substrate-connection end 72. Further, the input pads 63 in thesecond IC-mounting area 60 and the output pads 45 in the firstIC-mounting area 40 are connected to one another via third wiringpatterns 36.

Subsequently, the ICs 4, 5, and 6 are COG-mounted on the IC-mountingareas 40, 50, and 60, and the flexible substrate 7 is connected to thesubstrate-connection area 70 so that the signal, the power-supplypotential, and so forth, are applied thereto via the flexible substrate7. As a result, the signal, the power-supply potential, and so forth,are supplied to the first IC 4 via the substrate-connection ends 71, thefirst wiring patterns 31, and the input pads 42. Further, the signal,the power-supply potential, and so forth, are applied to the second ICs5 and 6 via the substrate-connection ends 72, the second wiring patterns32 and 33, and the input pads 52 and 62. Still further, the signal, thepower-supply potential, and so forth, are applied to the second ICs 5and 6 via the output pads 45 of the first IC 4, the third wiringpatterns 35 and 36, and the input pads 53 and 63.

Advantages of the Embodiment

Thus, according to the above-described embodiment, the first IC-mountingarea 40 and the second IC-mounting areas 50 and 60 are formed followingthe same substrate edge 11 of the element substrate 10, and the flexiblesubstrate 7 is connected to the element substrate 10, so as to be nearthe substrate edge 11 rather than the IC-mounting areas 40, 50, and 60.Further, the first wiring patterns 31 extend linearly from the firstIC-mounting area 40 toward the substrate-connection area 70, and thesecond wiring patterns 32 and 33 extending from the second IC-mountingareas 50 and 60 toward the substrate-connection area 70 go between thedummy pads 43 formed in the first IC-mounting area 40. Therefore, thesubstrate-connection ends 71 for applying the signal, the power-supplypotential, and the ground potential from the flexible substrate 7 to thefirst IC 4, and the substrate-connection ends 72 for applying thesignal, the power-supply potential, and the ground potential from theflexible substrate 7 to the second ICs 5 and 6 can be provided in asmall area in a converging manner. Therefore, it becomes possible todecrease the width W7 of the substrate-connection area 70 (flexiblesubstrate 7) extending in the direction following the substrate edge 11,so as to be substantially smaller than the width (width W56 of an areaincluding the first IC-mounting area 40 and the second IC-mounting areas50 and 60 extending in the direction following the substrate edge 11) ofthe element substrate 10. For example, the width W7 of thesubstrate-connection area 70 can be reduced, so as to be equal to orsmaller than the width W4 of the first IC-mounting area 40 extending inthe direction following the substrate edge 11. Therefore, where theelectronic apparatus is configured as a mobile phone or the like byusing the electrooptic device 1 a, a connector, a speaker, and so forth,can be easily provided near the substrate edge.

Further, since the first IC 4 and the second ICs 5 and 6 do notnecessarily share the use of the substrate-connection ends 71, thecircuit configuration can be simplified, even though the power-supplyvoltage of the first IC 4 and those of the second ICs 5 and 6 aredifferent from one another.

Further, according to this embodiment, the input pads 42 to which thesignal, the power-supply potential, and the ground potential are appliedfrom the flexible substrate 7 are integrated in the center area of thefirst IC-mounting area 40. Further, the pads requiring nosubstrate-connection ends 71, that is, the dummy pads 43, the testingbumps 44, the output pads 45, and so forth, are provided in areas onboth sides of the first IC-mounting area 40. Further, the dummy pads,where the second wiring pattern 32 extends therebetween, are provided inareas adjacent to the input pads 42. Since the substrate-connection ends71 and 72 can be integrated in a small area in a converging manner, thewidth W7 of the substrate-connection area 70 (the flexible substrate 7)can be reduced, so as to be smaller than width W4 of the firstIC-mounting area 40.

Further, the second wiring patterns 32 and 33 extend between the dummypads 43 of the first pads. Therefore, where the power-supply potentialof the first IC 4 and those of the second ICs 5 and 6 are different fromone another, no malfunctions occur, even though the second wiringpatterns 32 and 33, and the dummy pads 43 may be short-circuited.

Further, since one of the second wiring patterns 32 and 33 extendsthrough a gap between the dummy pads 43, the width of the gap is small.Since the first pads are provided, so as not to be converged at apredetermined position on a mounting surface of the first IC 4, itbecomes possible to reduce mounting failures that may occur in the casewhere pads are formed over a wide area.

Further, since the positional relationship between the input ends 52 and53 in the second IC-mounting area 50 is the same as that between theinput ends 62 and 63 in the second IC-mounting area 60, ICs of the samespecification can be used as the second ICs 5 and 6.

Other Embodiments

In the above-described embodiment, the second IC-mounting areas 50 and60 are provided on both sides of the first IC-mounting area 40 and thesecond ICs 5 and 6 of the same type are mounted on the secondIC-mounting areas 50 and 60. However, the present invention can be usedin the case where the configurations of the second IC-mounting areas 50and 60, which are formed on both sides of the first IC-mounting area 40,are different from each other, and the configurations of the second ICs5 and 6 are different from each other.

Further, the present invention can be used for the case where a singlesecond IC-mounting area is provided on one of the two sides of the firstIC-mounting area 40. In this case, the first IC-mounting area 40 may beprovided in either the center area, or the end area extending in thedirection following the substrate edge.

Further, according to the above-described embodiments, the presentinvention is described for the active-matrix liquid-crystal device usingthe TFD, as the non-linear element. However, an IC including a drivercircuit can be COG-mounted on the electrooptic-device substrate in thefollowing electrooptic device. Therefore, the present invention can beused for this electrooptic device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of anelectrooptic device comprising an active-matrix liquid-crystal deviceusing a thin-film transistor (TFT) as a pixel switching element. FIG. 5is a block diagram of an active-matrix electrooptic device including anelectroluminescence element using an electrical-charge-injection organicthin film as an electrooptic substance.

As shown in FIG. 4, in an electrooptic device 100 b comprising theactive-matrix liquid-crystal device using the TFT, as the pixelswitching element, a TFT 130 b for pixel switching is formed in each ofa plurality of pixels provided in matrix form, where the TFT 130 b isused for controlling a pixel electrode 109 b. Further, a data line 106 bfor applying an image signal is electrically connected to the source ofthe TFT 130 b. The image signal written into the data line 106 b isapplied from a data-line driver circuit 102 b. Further, a scan line 131a is electrically connected to a gate of the TFT 130 b and a scan signalis applied from a scan-line driver circuit 103 b to the scan line 131 bin a pulse-like manner with predetermined timing. A pixel electrode 109b is electrically connected to a drain of the TFT 130 b. The imagesignal applied from the data line 106 b is written into each pixel withpredetermined timing by turning on the TFT 130 b, which functions as theswitching element, for a predetermined time period. Accordingly, asub-image signal at a predetermined level written into the liquidcrystal via the pixel electrode 109 b is maintained for a predeterminedtime period between an opposing substrate (not shown) and an opposingelectrode formed thereon.

An accumulation capacitance 170 b (capacitor) is often added in parallelwith a liquid-crystal capacitance formed between the pixel electrode 109b and the opposing electrode, so as to prevent leakage of the maintainedsub image signal. By using this accumulation capacitance 170 b, thevoltage of the pixel electrode 109 b is maintained for a time period onethousand times longer than a time period required for applying a sourcevoltage. Subsequently, the electrical-charge maintaining characteristicincreases, whereby an electrooptic device for performing display with ahigh contrast ratio can be achieved. The accumulation capacitance 170 bmay be provided between a capacitance line 132 b functioning as wiringfor forming the capacitance and the TFT 130 b, or between the scan line131 b and the TFT 130 b.

As shown in FIG. 5, an active-matrix electrooptic device 100 pcomprising the electroluminescence element using anelectrical-charge-injection organic thin film is an active-matrixdisplay device for driving and controlling a light-emitting element byusing the TFT. The light-emitting element includes an EL(electroluminescence) element that emits light where a driving currentpasses through the organic semi-conductive film, an LED (light emittingdiode) element, and so forth. Since any light-emitting element used forthe above-described type of display device emits light, theactive-matrix electrooptic device 100 p does not require a backlight andhas little viewing-angle dependence.

The electrooptic device 100 p includes a plurality of scan lines 103 p,a plurality of data lines 106 p extending in a direction that crossesthe direction in which the scan lines 103 p extend, a plurality ofcommon feed lines 123 p extending parallel to the data lines 106 p, andpixels 115 p, where each of the pixels 115 p is provided at eachintersection of the data lines 106 p and the scan lines 103 p. Adata-line driver circuit 101 p including a shift register, a levelshifter, a video line, and an analog switch is provided for the datalines 106 p. A scan-line driver circuit 104 p including a shift registerand a level shifter is provided for the scan lines 103 p.

Each of the pixels 115 p includes a first TFT 131 p, wherein a scansignal is applied to the gate electrode thereof via the scan line 103 p,a storage capacitor 133 p for storing an image signal applied from thedata line 106 p via the first TFT 131 p, a second TFT 132 p, wherein theimage signal stored in the storage capacitor 133 p is applied to thegate electrode of the second TFT 132 p, and a light emitting element 140p. Where the light-emitting element 140 p is electrically connected tothe common feed line 123 p via the second TFT 132 p, a driving currentflows from the common feed line 123 p into the light emitting element140 p.

Here, in the light-emitting element 140 p, an organic semi-conductivefilm functioning as a positive-hole injection layer and an organicelectroluminescence material layer, and an opposing electrode formed bya metal film including lithium-containing aluminum, calcium, and soforth, are stacked on each other on an upper layer of the pixelelectrode. The opposing electrode is provided over the data lines 106 p,so as to spread out over the plurality of pixels 115 p.

Without being limited to the above-described embodiments, the presentinvention can be used for various types of electrooptic devicesincluding a plasma display device, an FED (field emission display)device, an LED (light-emitting diode) display device, an electrophoreticdisplay device, a low-profile cathode-ray tube, a small television usinga liquid-crystal shutter or the like, an apparatus using a digitalmicro-mirror device (DMD), and so forth.

Further, the above-described electrooptic device can be used as adisplay of various types of electronic apparatuses including a mobilephone, a mobile computer, and so forth.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, the first wiring pattern extendsfrom the first IC-mounting area toward the substrate-connection area,and the second wiring pattern extending from the second IC-mounting areatoward the substrate-connection area is provided so as to extend betweenfirst pads formed on the first IC-mounting area. Therefore, thesubstrate-connection ends for applying a signal, a power-supplypotential, or a ground potential from the flexible substrate to thefirst IC, and substrate-connection ends for applying a signal, apower-supply potential, and a ground potential from the flexiblesubstrate to the second IC can be provided in a converging manner.Therefore, it becomes possible to decrease the width of thesubstrate-connection area extending in the direction following thesubstrate edge. Subsequently, the width of the flexible substrateextending in the direction following the substrate edge can be decreasedso as to be substantially smaller than that of the electrooptic-devicesubstrate. Therefore, where an electronic apparatus is configured as amobile phone or the like by using the electrooptic device, a connector,a speaker, and so forth, can be easily provided near the substrate edge.

1. An electrooptic device comprising: an electrooptic-device substrateincluding: a substrate edge; a first IC-mounting area for mounting afirst IC and a second IC-mounting area for mounting a second IC, thefirst IC-mounting area and the second IC-mounting area being alignedalong the substrate edge; and a substrate-connection area to which aflexible substrate is to be connected, the substrate-connection areabeing nearer the substrate edge than the first and second IC-mountingareas; a first wiring pattern extending from the first IC-mounting areato the substrate-connection area; and a second wiring pattern extendingfrom the second IC-mounting area, between first pads formed in the firstIC-mounting area, and reaching the substrate-connection area.
 2. Theelectrooptic device according to claim 1, wherein: the first wiringpattern extends substantially linearly from the first IC-mounting areatoward the substrate-connection area; and the second wiring patternextends substantially linearly from between the first pads toward thesubstrate-connection area.
 3. The electrooptic device according to claim1, wherein an area in which the first wiring pattern is formed and anarea in which the second wiring pattern is formed are adjacent to eachother in a direction following the substrate edge of theelectrooptic-device substrate.
 4. The electrooptic device according toclaim 1, wherein: the first IC-mounting area is formed in asubstantially center area of the electrooptic-device substrate, thecenter area extending in the direction following the substrate edge, andthe second IC-mounting area is formed on both sides of the firstIC-mounting area extending in the direction following the substrate edgeof the electrooptic-device substrate.
 5. The electrooptic deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first and second IC-mounting areas arearranged so that a single first IC-mounting area and a single secondIC-mounting area are provided in the direction following the substrateedge of the electrooptic-device substrate.
 6. The electrooptic deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein a width of the substrate-connection areaextending in the direction following the substrate edge is smaller thana width of a predetermined area including the first IC-mounting area andthe second IC-mounting area, the predetermined area extending in thedirection following the substrate edge.
 7. The electrooptic deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein the width of the substrate-connection areaextending in the direction following the substrate edge is equal to orsmaller than a width of the first IC-mounting area extending in thedirection following the substrate edge.
 8. The electrooptic deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the second wiring pattern includes asingle second wiring pattern extending through a gap between the firstpads.
 9. The electrooptic device according to claim 1, wherein: thesecond wiring pattern extends between dummy pads of the first pads andextends to the substrate-connection area; and a signal, a power-supplypotential, and a ground potential are not applied from the flexiblesubstrate to the dummy pads.
 10. The electrooptic device according toclaim 1, wherein: the first pads include a pad connected to a second padformed in the second IC-mounting area by a third wiring pattern; the padis provided on an end of the first IC-mounting area, the end beingformed at a predetermined position near the second IC-mounting area; andthe signal, the power-supply potential and the ground potential are notdirectly applied from the flexible substrate to the pad.
 11. Theelectrooptic device according to claim 1, wherein: the first padsinclude a pad to which a bump for testing the first IC is connected; andthe pad is provided in the first IC-mounting area at a predeterminedposition that is nearer an end than a predetermined area; and the firstpads are formed in the predetermined area and the second wiring patternextends therebetween.
 12. The electrooptic device according to claim 1,wherein the electrooptic-device substrate holds a liquid crystal betweenthe electrooptic-device substrate and another substrate opposingthereto.
 13. The electrooptic device according to claim 1, wherein theelectrooptic-device substrate holds an organic electroluminescencematerial forming an electroluminescence element.
 14. An electronicapparatus including the electrooptic device according to claim
 1. cm 15.An electrooptic device comprising: a substrate having a substrate edgeand a substrate-connection area in the vicinity of the substrate edge,the substrate connection area being for connecting a flexible substratethereto; a first IC mounted on the substrate at a position farther fromthe substrate edge than the substrate connection area; a second ICmounted on the substrate at a position farther from the substrate edgethan the substrate connection area; a first wiring pattern extendingfrom under the first IC to the substrate-connection area; and a secondwiring pattern extending from under the second IC, to under the firstIC, and reaching the substrate-connection area.